‘Safer, smarter, and more connected’: Apple’s Vision Pro used in world-first VR-assisted surgery, and it could be the future of medicine | Tech Radar
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‘Safer, smarter, and more connected’: Apple’s Vision Pro used in world-first VR-assisted surgery, and it could be the future of medicine
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Apple’s Vision Pro headset was used in a world-first surgery
It’s since been used in hundreds of similar operations
It could help transform operating theaters, one surgeon believes
If you’re due for surgery, the next time you go under the knife, your operation could be performed by a surgeon using an Apple Vision Pro headset. That’s because the world’s first successful procedure to remove optical cataracts has been completed with the assistance of one of Apple’s headsets — and it’s gone on to help in scores of other medical operations in the past year alone.
The surgery actually first took place in October 2025, but the surgeon in question — Dr. Eric Rosenberg, DO, MSE — has since performed “hundreds” of subsequent procedures, according to a press release.
It all happened at the Sight MD practice in New England, which is owned by Dr. Rosenberg. Using a Vision Pro app called Scope XR (also developed by Dr. Rosenberg), the surgeons were able to visualize the operation “in immersive stereoscopic 3D while simultaneously accessing real-time surgical overlays and comprehensive preoperative diagnostic data, all without breaking sterile technique".
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Dr. Rosenberg had plenty of praise for the Vision Pro: “This isn’t just about a new device, it’s about reimagining what the operating room of the future looks like.” Speaking of Scope XR, he said: “We’ve created a platform that makes surgeons safer, smarter, and more connected.”
A post shared by Eric Rosenberg (@engineeredvision)A photo posted by on
A post shared by Eric Rosenberg (@engineeredvision)
One way that Scope XR was able to tap into the Vision Pro was by enabling collaboration between surgeons and consultants, even if they weren’t all in the same room together. Assistants and mentors could remotely join the feed provided by the Vision Pro and communicate in real time.
As Dr. Rosenberg put it, “We are now able to bring the world’s best surgeon into any operating room, at any hour, from anywhere on the planet.” That has a range of uses, from training surgeons to providing help with unexpected complications.
Apple’s Vision Pro is often held up as an expensive flop, with its future existence frequently called into question, and it’s true that the device seems to have struggled to gain traction in the consumer world. But flip over to the other side of the coin and it appears that the product is doing well in industrial, medical and similar environments.
Perhaps that’s where the Vision Pro is best placed to fulfill its potential. Apple is said to be working on lightweight smart glasses, and those would probably be a more consumer-friendly device. But for more demanding users like operating theaters around the world, the Vision Pro’s incredibly high-end specs could be just what’s needed.
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Alex Blake has been fooling around with computers since the early 1990s, and since that time he's learned a thing or two about tech. No more than two things, though. That's all his brain can hold. As well as Tech Radar, Alex writes for i More, Digital Trends and Creative Bloq, among others. He was previously commissioning editor at Mac Format magazine. That means he mostly covers the world of Apple and its latest products, but also Windows, computer peripherals, mobile apps, and much more beyond. When not writing, you can find him hiking the English countryside and gaming on his PC.
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